Optima M10 is the first model of a typewriter to be produced by VEB Optima under it’s new name. Before that the famous typewriter factory in Erfurt was called Olympia- the name it lost do to a trial at Nurnberg, which ended in a tranfer of rights to the brand name to a newly established typewriter factory in Wilhelmshaven as the ones who established it were actually the people with all the intellectual property that fled the factory from the Soviets that have established their rule over the East Germany.

M10 model has a plenty of visual differences from its predecessor- the famous M8. It has a new cast shell that covers the perimeter of the machine, a lid that covers both spools and the segment, as well as the new shape of the carriage. Even the insides have changed- the most important one is the introduction of the segment shift, replacing the old carriage shift approach. It allows for more reliable and easier change of the register as user’s fingers don’t have to lift the 5 kg carriage by one finger.

As the next model, the M12 was introduces, Optima M10 had underwent a restyling process with its round keys being replaced with rounded square ones and color schemes being changed from the usual gloss black and some crinkled paint matte finishes to cream colored shell with brown keys. “fish gray” (Optima’s official naming) with brown keys and the traditional gloss black with black keys. A chromed stripe has also appeared on the lid.

The M10 model was produced from around 1950 up to 1959.